Obsessed | Jude Bellingham

31.

Bianca Dawson
VAR: No goal
•••

I was busy organizing the pantry, which I should mention is bigger than the average person's room. Rows of shelves were lined with neatly labeled jars and cans. I was sorting the spices alphabetically when Jude stopped by. Each jar had to be perfectly aligned with its neighbor, the labels facing outward for easy reading.

"Mom's here, and we'd like to talk to you in her office."

"Sounds serious," I said, setting down a jar of paprika and wiping my hands on a dish towel. I followed him out of the pantry, my heart rate increasing with each step. I knew he wanted to tell his mother about us, but when you have things to hide, you're always on edge. Since the night I told Jude about my trauma in the most vulnerable way possible, he had been absolutely sweet. So, I doubted he was leading me to my doom right now.

He opened the door to Denise's office, and she looked up from her desk. The room was elegant, with dark wood furniture and soft lighting. Denise wore no expression, which was scary. I knew she was absolutely the sweetest, but you can't really tell when she isn't smiling. I took a seat in one of the plush chairs, and Jude went and stood behind her, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"So, I told my mom about us," he started. I looked over at her, and her expression remained the same. Yeah, I was mortified.

"Should I go with the good news or bad news first?"

"Uh," I was hesitant because why was this a good news-bad news situation? "Bad news."

"Alright," Jude said, taking a deep breath. "The bad news is that you're fired, effective immediately. You're relieved of your position here."

"Wait, what?" I said, my eyes darting from him to his mother and back again. The room seemed to tilt slightly, and I struggled to grasp the sudden shift in the conversation.

Denise's expression was unreadable, and I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach.

"I'm no idiot. I knew something was going on, but I thought Jude could at least attempt being professional, which he wasn't," she said, her gaze firmly fixed on Jude. "But he tells me how much he cares for you, and honestly, I don't know how you'd manage running this house, getting the foundation started, and your pastry business all at once."

She smiled at me, a small, encouraging gesture that was almost comforting amidst the sea of emotions. "That's the good news," Jude added, a hint of relief in his voice.

Denise turned back to me, her demeanor softening. "Bianca, I really like you. I could tell you were special the moment you walked through the door. I admire your courage and your drive. A few months ago, you said you were still figuring it out, and I'm happy you did. I wish you two a happy life together and hope that you both bring out the best in each other. You have my blessings. I'm sure Mark and Jobe will be fine. As long as he's happy, we're happy."

"Mom takes care of my finances so you two would have to talk about that part in terms of start up capital" He shared.

"How about" she said looking at her phone, "we have lunch Saturday and we talk about it, investors sponsors for the foundation. I am most intrigued by that" She said.

"Well I have all the time in the world now" I laughed.

"Oh by the way" Jude said, "consider yourself promoted."

"Promoted? You just fired me," I said, my confusion evident in my voice.

"To being my girlfriend," Jude said with a smile. Denise's gaze shifted between us, her expression warm and approving. I was at a loss for words.